Disclaimer: CSI belongs, as always, to CBS.

AN: Thank you Stella Taylor for your help Betaing this. Also, my knowledge of guns equals zero (before this now at least I know something) so don't be too upset with me for any possible mistakes, but please, do drop me a line telling me where the mistake has been made so I can learn till next time, after all practise makes perfect.
Cheers
La Suede.

20 Little Prom Queens
by: La Suede

Elliot Daniels

Elliot Daniels smiled; her eyes twinkled in the spotlight and her memory saving all of the details of this night. She looked out over the room filled with people, all looking at her; she liked to think of them as her court. If possible her smile grew even bigger when they placed the crown on her head, and even as she fell her smile never faltered. The proper little prom queen.

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Detectives Mac Taylor and Stella Bonasera were the first from the crime lab to arrive. Together they took in the scene in front of them, a school gymnastic hall filled to the brim with teenagers dressed to the nines. All of them looked anxious, some looked frightened, a few were holding their date steady and a still a few of them looked curious.

The CSIs made their way through the crowd towards the podium, which was now sealed off with yellow tape. Someone held up the tape and they ducked under. Mac called out to Don Flack, asking him what had happened.

A grim-faced Flack nodded to the girl on the ground, "Prom Queen, just got the crown." He shook his head. "She never saw it coming".

Mac kneeled down beside the girl surveying her closely, he could only see one entrance wound, right beside her left ear: neat, clean and fatal. Above him Stella snapped pictures of the girl.

He looked up at his partner and noted she looked a little bit queasy. And he knew instinctively that something was not right. He made a mental note to ask her later.

Next to her stood Flack, he was occupied by flipping through his notebook; he apparently found the right page because he cleared his throat:

"Ok, so her name is Elliot Daniels, she's 17 years old and brutally gunned down..." Stella gave him a look "... apparently she was well liked by everyone"

"Clearly not everyone" Mac flipped in.

Stella walked around the crime scene, she had seen it many times before, young life ended to quick, she never got used to it, but she could suppress the feelings and work like she should. But this time she could not stay cool, she could not suppress the queasiness, she could not forget. Hand over her mouth she fled the prom hall, heading outside. Leaning over a railing she emptied her stomach on the ground. Someone pulled back her hair and gently rubbed her back.

"Want to talk about it?" Mac's voice came from behind.

Stella only shook her head. Not now, not ever she thought. She couldn't and she wouldn't. After convincing Mac that she was OK, that it must have been something she had eaten, she went in search for a bathroom, where she washed her face and calmed down.

When they returned to the lab, Mac called everyone into the layout room.

"This is what we know: Elliot Daniels was killed on her prom night, presumably shot to death. She was a well liked girl, whom no one seemed to have anything against. We will know more when we've talked to the eyewitnesses, Danny you start processing the victims clothes, Lindsay, when you've wrapped up your current case, come find me".

Danny and Lindsay left the room and Stella was about to follow but Mac grabbed her arm.

"Ok, so you want to tell me what's going on? I'm not stupid, Stella. It's not food poisoning; we ate the same thing for lunch." He looked at her pointedly.

Damn, Stella thought, she was not about to tell him the truth, but she had to say something, she opted for a half-truth.

"I don't want to talk about it ok?" she looked him in the eyes as if she could will him to not ask her anything else.

"That's your choice, but I can't have you throwing up on my crime scenes, so figure out how to handle it and get back to me then" Mac started to head out from the layout room but Stella followed him.

He gave her a look as if asking what she was doing.

"We're working this case together, OK?" Mac started to say something, but Stella cut him short "I'm driving".